Martin Vessey

Recollecting Oxford Medicine: Oral Histories

Derek Hockaday interviews Martin Vessey, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, 4 June 2014 Topics discussed include: (00:00:15) how MV came to Oxford; (00:01:36) John Honour; (00:03:46) choosing to focus on epidemiology and statistics, learning about statistics and computing post medical qualification and return to clinical house appointments; (00:07:28) meeting Richard Doll; (00:10:14) comparing Oxford and London computing facilities; (00.11:39) MD thesis, United States trip and return to Oxford, (00:14:39) work under direction of Richard Doll at Medical Research Council statistical research unit and effect on direction of career; (00:18:26) MRC and World Health Organisation; (00:19:49) fertilisation and contraceptive work; (00:23:42) studies relating to the etiology of cervical cancer; (00:26:58) research into menopause and investigation of hormone replacement; (00:31:22) differences in different generations of contraceptive pills; (00:36:34) social and community medicine in relation to epidemiology; (00:42:02) interactions with and teaching medical students; (00:48:57) attending medical and surgical grand rounds; (00:50:17) research, papers and breast cancer screening; (00:55:51) Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution; (00:58:50) Rosemary Rue; (01:02:04) travelling for conferences; (01:04:10) supervising DPhil students; (01:09:20) final thoughts on career; (01:11:53) women in epidemiology and medicine.